Probate Of Will In India

Probate means copy of the will certified under the seal of a court of a competent jurisdiction. Probate of a will when granted establishes the Will from the death of the testator and renders valid all intermediate acts of the executor as such. It is conclusive evidence of the validity and due execution of the will and of the testamentary capacity of the testator.

A probate differs from succession certificate. A probate is issued by the court, when a person dies testate i.e.having made a will and the executor or beneficiary applies to the court for grant of probate. in case a person has not made a will his legal heirs will have to apply to the court for grant of a succession certificate which will be given as per applicable laws of inheritance.

To Who Can A Probate Be Granted

Probate can be granted only to the executor appointed by the will. The appointment may be express or implied by necessary implication.

It cannot be grated to any person who is a minor or is of unsound mind, nor to any association of individuals unless it is a company satisfies the conditions prescribed by the rules made by the State Government.

Persons Eligible For Grant Of Letter Of Administration

Where the deceased was a Hindu, Muhammadan, Buddhist Sikh or Jain or an exempted person and has died intestate, the court may grant administration of his estate to any person, who according to the rules for the distribution of the estate applicable for in the case of such deceased would be entitled to the whole or any part of such deceased 's estate. When several of such persons apply for such administration, it shall be the discretion of the court to grant it to any one of them. When no such person applies, it may be granted to a creditor of the deceased.

Letters of administration entitle the administrator to all rights belonging to the intestate as effectively as if the administration has been granted at the moment after his death.

They however do not render valid any intermediate acts of the administrator tending to the damage of the intestate's estate.

For obtaining a letter of administration the beneficiary has to apply to the court. The court on receiving satisfactory proof of valid execution of the will issues letter of administration to the beneficiary. The application for letter of administration has to contain the following details:

the time of the testator's death

that the writing annexed in his last will and testament

that it was duly executed

the amount of assets which are likely to come to the petitioner's hands, and